Choosing the right keywords is fundamental to the success of your Google Ads campaign. The keywords you select determine who sees your ads, how much you pay, and how well your campaign performs. In this post, we’ll explore the best practices for selecting keywords and common mistakes to avoid to ensure your campaign reaches its full potential.
Understanding Keyword Intent
When conducting keyword research and selecting keywords, it’s crucial to understand their intent. Users typically search with one of four intents: informational, navigational, transactional, or commercial.
There are four primary types of keyword search intent:
- Informational
- Navigational
- Transactional
- Commercial
| Keyword Intent | Description | Example Keywords |
|---|---|---|
| Informational | Users are looking for information or answers to questions. | “how to login to Facebook,” “DIY Youtube”, “how many calories in coffee” |
| Navigational | Users are trying to reach a specific website. | “Facebook login”, “YouTube”, “Amazon homepage” |
| Transactional | Users are ready to make a purchase or take a specific action. | “buy iPhone 13”, “book flight to New York”, “subscribe to Netflix” |
| Commercial | Users are researching products or services before making a purchase. | “best laptops 2024”, “top restaurants in NYC”, “compare DSLR cameras” |
By aligning your keywords with the appropriate intent, you can attract the right audience at the right stage of their buying journey.
Starting with Broad Keywords
Begin your keyword research with broad keywords related to your product or service. These broad terms will give you a wide range of potential keywords and help you understand the landscape of your industry. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to generate a list of broad keywords.
Broad keywords are typically one or two words with high search volume. While they are more competitive and may have higher costs per click (CPC), they provide a foundation for discovering more specific, long-tail keywords.
For example, if you are running a campaign for a shoe store, your broad keywords might include:
| Broad Keyword | Example Search Queries |
|---|---|
| Shoes | “running shoes,” “men’s running shoes” |
| Running Shoes | “running shoes”, “men’s running shoes” |
| Sneakers | “sneakers”, “trendy sneakers” |
| Athletic Footwear | “athletic footwear”, “sports shoes” |
Using these broad keywords as a starting point, you can refine your list to include more specific terms that better match the intent of your potential customers.
Refining with Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are more specific phrases with lower search volumes but higher conversion rates. For example, instead of targeting “shoes,” you might target “women’s running shoes for flat feet.” Long-tail keywords are typically less competitive and more cost-effective, making them ideal for capturing highly targeted traffic.
Continuing with our shoe store example, here are some refined long-tail keywords:
| Broad Keyword | Long-Tail Keyword |
|---|---|
| Shoes | “comfortable walking shoes for seniors” |
| Running Shoes | “best running shoes for marathon training” |
| Sneakers | “affordable high-top sneakers for teens” |
| Athletic Footwear | “breathable athletic shoes for summer” |
By starting with broad keywords and refining them into long-tail keywords, you can create a comprehensive and effective keyword strategy that attracts the right audience to your Google Ads campaign.
Competitor Analysis
Analyzing your competitors’ keyword strategies can provide valuable insights and reveal opportunities you may have overlooked. Use tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, or SpyFu to identify which keywords your competitors are ranking for and incorporate relevant ones into your strategy. Ensure that you differentiate your approach to avoid direct competition on every keyword.
Utilizing Keyword Match Types
Google Ads offers different keyword match types that provide varying levels of control over which searches trigger your ads:
- Broad Match: Ads may show for searches that include misspellings, synonyms, related searches, and other relevant variations.
- Phrase Match: Ads may show for searches that include the meaning of your keyword.
- Exact Match: Ads may show for searches that match the precise meaning of your keyword.
- Broad Match Modifier: Ads may show for searches that include all the terms designated with a “+” sign.
Mixing match types can help you balance reach and relevance, ensuring your ads are shown to the most appropriate audience.
Leveraging Negative Keyword
Negative keywords prevent your ads from appearing for irrelevant searches, saving you money and improving your click-through rate (CTR). By excluding specific words or phrases, you ensure that your ads are only shown to users who are likely to be interested in your products or services.
Regularly updating your negative keyword list based on search term reports helps you exclude terms that are not relevant to your business. This can significantly improve your ad performance by reducing wasted spend and increasing the relevance of your traffic.
Examples of Negative Keywords
Consider an online shoe store that does not sell hiking boots. Adding “hiking boots” as a negative keyword would prevent their ads from showing up for users searching for that term. Here are more examples:
| Campaign Type | Example Negative Keywords |
|---|---|
| General Shoe Store | “free shoes”, “hiking boots”, “shoe repair” |
| Running Shoes | “cheap running shoes”, “running shoes sale”, “free running shoes” |
| Sneakers | “sneaker cleaning”, “sneaker repair”, “used sneakers” |
| Athletic Footwear | “hiking gear”, “outdoor sandals”, “discount athletic shoes” |
How to Identify Negative Keywords
- Search Term Reports: Regularly review search term reports in Google Ads to identify queries that triggered your ads but are irrelevant to your offerings. Add these terms to your negative keyword list.
- Competitor Analysis: Analyze competitor keywords to identify terms they are targeting that may not be relevant to your business. This can help you refine your negative keyword list.
- Customer Feedback: Use feedback from customer service interactions to identify common misconceptions or irrelevant queries that lead to customer confusion or dissatisfaction.
- Brainstorming Sessions: Regularly hold brainstorming sessions with your marketing team to identify potential negative keywords based on changing trends, new product launches, or market shifts.
Implementing Negative Keywords
- Account-Level: Apply negative keywords at the account level to ensure they are excluded from all campaigns.
- Campaign-Level: Apply negative keywords at the campaign level for more specific exclusions relevant to individual campaigns.
- Ad Group-Level: Apply negative keywords at the ad group level for precise control over specific ad groups.
Negative keyword management is an ongoing process. As your business evolves and market conditions change, so should your negative keyword list. Review and update your negative keywords regularly to ensure your campaigns remain efficient and effective.
By carefully managing negative keywords, you can enhance the relevance of your ads, reduce wasted spend, and improve the overall performance of your Google Ads campaigns.
Considering Seasonal Trends
Seasonal trends can significantly impact keyword performance. Analyze past performance data to identify seasonal trends relevant to your industry and adjust your keyword strategy accordingly. This ensures your ads reach users when they are most likely to convert.
Regular Review and Adjustment
Keyword research is not a one-time task. The search landscape is dynamic, and user behavior changes over time. To keep your strategy relevant, regularly review and update your keyword list. Monitor keyword performance and make adjustments as needed to optimize your campaigns.
Overview Common Keyword Research Mistakes
Here are some common keyword research mistakes to avoid:
- Focusing Solely on High-Volume Keywords: While high-volume keywords can attract a lot of traffic, they often come with high competition and cost. Include long-tail keywords in your strategy for more targeted traffic.
- Ignoring Negative Keywords: Regularly update your negative keyword list to exclude irrelevant terms.
- Not Understanding Keyword Intent: Align your keywords with the appropriate user intent to attract high-quality traffic.
- Overlooking Competitor Keywords: Use competitor analysis to identify opportunities and gaps in your strategy.
- Setting and Forgetting Your Keywords: Regularly revisit and update your keyword list to stay relevant.
- Neglecting to Use Keyword Match Types: Utilize different match types to control which searches trigger your ads.
- Not Considering Seasonal Trends: Adjust your strategy for seasonal trends and peak times.
Choosing the Right Keywords Can Make All The Difference
Choosing the right keywords is essential for the success of your Google Ads campaign. By understanding keyword intent, using a mix of broad and long-tail keywords, analyzing competitors, utilizing match types, and regularly reviewing your strategy, you can optimize your keyword selection and improve your campaign performance.
To ensure your keywords continue to drive results, avoid common mistakes, stay proactive, and adapt to changes in the market and user behavior.